Psalms 119:103-105103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

2 Timothy 3:16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Simple BIBLE Study helps:• Take notes and highlight.• Ask questions as you read.• Pursue the answers to those questions within Scripture. • Read through the lens of a learner not a “know it all”.• Visualize the text in an illustrative and poetic way.• Take time to pause and reflect on what you have read.• Take the time to research words or illustrations that you don’t

understand. Don’t just skip over things that seem confusing.• Discuss thoughts and questions with others who are sincere

and spiritually mature.• Be prayerful and praiseful when you read the Word.

"If Jesus didn't think he could handle life without knowing the Scripture inside and out, what makes you think you can?"-Tim Keller

SIMPLE LAWS OF HERMENEUTICS Hermeneutics is the branch of theology that deals with how to correctly interpret Scripture. Every Christian should have a basic knowledge of hermeneutics. In a sense, every Christian is a theologian. We all have beliefs that we must share, prove, and defend.

The Golden Rule When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual literal meaning, unless the facts of the context indicate clearly otherwise. This rule assumes that all truth harmonizes and that there are no discrepancies between accurate statements of facts (God is one means God is one).

THE LAW OF FIRST MENTION The first mention of any fundamental word or institution usually presents the general meaning of the subject and its use throughout Scriptures. As an illustration of this law, consider the sacrifices that were required by the Lord from Cain and Abel. The very fundamental teaching concerning atonement for sin, with all its implications, is found in these sacrifices, as recorded in Genesis 4. It is vitally important that we study words, doctrines, and institutions in their original, first mention.

LAW OF DOUBLE REFERENCE The prophets constantly spoke of a local or current event and without giving any indication of a change of scenery they began to describe a more remote and a greater prophecy. This principle can be illustrated by a video presentation where the pictures fade in and out from one scene to another. One picture is thrown on the screen. Presently it begins to fade and at the same time the dim outline of another begins to appear. By the time the first has faded, the second is in full view. The prophets often blended a prediction relating to the first coming of Christ with one foretelling the second coming of Christ. Learning to watch for these double references is very important.THE LAW OF REOCCURRENCE After the prophets made a statement relative to something in the future, they often gave a fuller discussion covering the same ground but laying the emphasis in a different place. The second presentation is supplemental (or additional) to the first. It clarifies the picture. As an illustration of this principle, consider Genesis 1 and 2. In chapter 1 we have a summary of the six days of Creation. In chapter 2 we are given a second discussion regarding the creation of man. The first Creation account is found in 1:26-31. In 2:7-25 we are given a second and a fuller report together with a description of the Garden of Eden. These two accounts do not contradict one another as Bible critics argue — they did not come from two sources — rather they represent the fundamental principle of the law of recurrence. This literary style is found all throughout the Bible. A story is told and then retold with greater detail or with a different emphasis, but never with a contradiction (For further study look at Ezekiel 38 and 39, and Revelations 16, 17, 18, and 19).

Hebrews 5:13-1413 For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Becoming Skillful In The Word PART 2

2 Timothy 2:15-1615 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

REASONS YOU MUST STUDY THE BIBLE:• God commands us to do so.• God speaks primarily through His Word.• It guards you from sin, false doctrine, and spiritual abuse.• It convicts, encourages, strengthens, builds faith, enables.• It gives understanding which keeps you grounded.• It enables you to reach, teach, preach, and evangelize others.• It brings revelation – The Ethiopian Eunuch Principle. • It is relevant to all of life’s questions and concerns.• It draws you into a close relationship with God.• It will give you godly confidence and spiritual sure-footedness.• It invites the blessings of God (Revelations 1:3).• It brings joy into your life (1 John 1:4)• It gives you wisdom (Proverbs 1:1-2)“The difference between wisdom and knowledge: knowledge is having information; wisdom is knowing how to use information.”

Critical Bible Study ResourcesAlso

RecommendedA Parallel BibleA Journaling or

Note BibleA Study Bible

Critical Bible Study Resources

Suggested Reading “The King James Bible is about more than mere sonority or the …heritage-appeal of antique vocabulary and grammar. The flattening of language is a flattening of meaning. Language which is not taut with a sense of its own significance, which is apologetic in its desire to be acceptable to a modern consciousness, language in other words which submits to its audience, rather than instructing, informing, moving, challenging and even entertaining them, is no longer a language which can carry the freight the Bible requires. It has in short, lost all authority. The language of the King James Bible is the language of …patriarchy, of instructed order, of richness as a form of beauty, of authority as a form of good; the New English Bible is motivated by the opposite, an anxiety not to bore or intimidate. It is driven, in other words, by a desire to please and, in that way, is a form of language which has died (pages 153-154).”

“One of the King James Bible’s most consistent driving forces is the idea of majesty. Its method and its voice are far more regal than demotic. Its archaic formulations, its consistent attention to a grand and heavily musical rhythm are the vehicles by which that majesty are infused into the body of the text. Its qualities are those of grace, stateliness, scale, power. There is no desire to please here; only the belief in the enormous and overwhelming Divine authority… The Translators of the Bible clearly believed that the majesty of their translation stemmed from its loyal belief in Divine authority (Page 189) .”

Suggested Reading

Suggested Reading“[The King James Bible translators believed] the words of the Bible were the foundation of all understanding, [and that] nothing could be more important than a text that was both accurate and intelligible. Precision in Bible scholarship and in translation was the foundation stone of the Reformation. High fidelity reproduction was a moral as well as technical quality and it was axiomatic that Translators and scholars could approach the text only in a mood of humility and service. ‘He who does not believe one part of it,’ Luther had said, ‘cannot believe any of it. (Page 183)’”

Suggested Reading“Those who originally wrote the words of the Bible had been God’s secretaries, as loyal, as self suppressing, as utterly disposed to the uses of the Divine call… self-abnegation in the service of greatness was the ideal… Secretaryship is one of the great shaping forces behind the King James Bible. There is no authorship involved here. Authorship is egotistical, an assumption that you might have something new worth saying. You don’t. Every iota of the Bible counts but without it you count for nothing. The secretary knows that… he does not distort the source of his authority. A secretary, whether of God or of king, is in a position of dependent power. He has no authority independent of his master, but he executes that authority without hesitation or compromise. He is nothing without his master but everything through him. Loyalty is power and submission control. For this reason, biblical translation, like royal service, could only be utterly faithful. Without faithfulness, it became meaningless (Page 184) .”

Comparing scripture with scripture Because the Bible is to be studied fully and not partially, it sometimes becomes important to compare Scriptures against one another. Because we know that the Scripture will never contradict itself, this method often brings clarity to passages that seem difficult to understand. Biblically speaking this is called “Rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15),” and “…comparing spiritual things with spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:13)”.

OBSCURE PASSAGES MUST BE INTERPRETED IN THE LIGHT OF PLAIN ONES The Bible is a self-interpreting book, and what is obscure in one passage may be illuminated in another. No single statement or obscure passage of one book should ever be used to undermine a clearly established doctrine.The Difference between biblical and present-day terminology We must not read back into the Scriptures definitions of words as they are being used today; because words and meanings change drastically with time and use. We cannot afford to read back into the Scriptures ideas and definitions of words as employed today unless we see from all the facts that the current meaning is in conformity with the biblical usage.

EXAMPLE“And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing… (James 2:3)”

Simple Laws of Hermeneutics

3 rules of bible interpretation:• The Rule of Definition. What do words mean?

Any study of Scripture includes the study of words.

• The Rule of Context. Every word you read must be understood in the light of the words that come before and after it.

• The Rule of historical background. We must have some awareness of the life, language, culture, setting, audience, and society of the times in which the Scripture was written. The spiritual principle will be timeless but often can't be properly appreciated without some knowledge of the background.

Psalm 18:30As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried

(Proven): he is a buckler (Shield) to all

those that trust in him.